Controversy Over Government's UN Statement... Opposition: "Japan's Official Apology for Historical Issues? Shocking"

"Apology from Japan to Past Victims" Government Opinion Letter
Opposition: "Too Shocking, Lost for Words"

Amid reports that the government's opinion submitted to the United Nations Human Rights Council included the statement that "the Japanese government has officially apologized to the victims of the Japanese military's comfort women and acknowledged the perpetration," the opposition party raised their voices, saying, "Is the Yoon Suk-yeol administration the 'Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson'?"

Spokesperson Kang Seon-woo said at a briefing on the 14th, "I am at a loss for words because it is so shocking," adding, "When exactly did the Japanese government officially apologize to the comfort women and forced mobilization victims? Our people have never heard such an announcement."

Earlier, on the 13th (local time), Fabiola Salvioli, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation, and guarantees of non-recurrence, presented a report at the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council recommending the abolition of the National Security Law and the revision of the 2015 Korea-Japan comfort women agreement to the South Korean government. In June last year, Special Rapporteur Salvioli met with individuals and organizations related to past issues, including Japanese comfort women victims, to examine the process of addressing historical grievances.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The controversial part of the report was the statement in the opinion submitted by the South Korean government to the UN Human Rights Council that "the Japanese government has officially apologized to the comfort women victims and acknowledged the perpetration."

The official apology mentioned by the government appears to refer to the 1993 Japanese 'Kono Statement,' but the 54th UN Human Rights Council South Korean NGO delegation protested on the 13th, calling it "an anti-human rights measure that tramples once again on the dignity of 'comfort women' and 'forced mobilization' victims."

Regarding this, Spokesperson Kang said, "The Japanese government not only refuses to apologize to the victims but also denies the very fact of committing inhumane crimes," and questioned, "Has the Yoon Suk-yeol administration lied on behalf of the Japanese government to the international community?"

He also said, "It is enough that the Japanese government tramples on the dignity of the victims," adding, "But it is deplorable that the Republic of Korea government is matching steps with the Japanese government and rubbing salt into the wounds."

Spokesperson Kang declared, "From today, I define the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which has betrayed the people, as a pro-Japanese, traitorous government," warning, "The people will remember this atrocious anti-human rights and anti-national behavior and will surely judge it."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.